why don’t hitch bike racks act like big breaker bars?

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Title. Looking at hitch mounted bike racks, specifically two types: racks that have a vertical bar and the bike hangs down by the frame, and racks with a horizontal platform that the wheels sit in. Think things like Thule.

I see heavy ebikes being held by heavy duty racks, or multiple MTBs on one. How is it that they are stable? I would think that – especially the hanging ones – they would act like a giant breaker bar against the hitch opening. I know that they are designed not to really wobble right and left, but how does that little 1.25 or 2” square slot stop 3-4 feet of steel bar with 30-100lbs of weight on the end from breaking loose?

Definitely not asking because I’d like a hitch rack for my bike and have trust issues. Lol. I can’t fathom how these work, and why they don’t need to be secured from the top at least.

In: Engineering

13 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Consider that, in another circumstance, this hitch might be loaded up with 10,000lbs of sailboat. (Depending on the location of the axle on the trailer, this might still be several tons ~~of downward force~~ tongue weight.)

A couple of bicycles or a motorized wheelchair (I see lots of those) isn’t gonna be a problem.

Edit: corrected terminology

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